How To Reset MacBook Air

-How To Reset MacBook Air-

I frequently recommended a factory reset on any of your tech devices as a solution to many problems that may arise. I can complete this task on a MacBook Air to improve performance and return your laptop to its former glory. Read through to learn how to reset MacBook Air.

Things You Should Know Before Resetting Your MacBook

However, before you reset a Mac, make sure you’ve backed up any important data that you don’t want to lose, as a reset will erase all of your files.

That’s great for ensuring that a new potential owner can’t access your sensitive information, but it’s not so great if you’re doing the reset to solve a problem.

Backing up your files ensures you can access them after the reset. While performing a rest on the best MacBooks and Macs may not sound like a simple process, it’s actually far less complex than you might imagine.

Backup Your Files Before Resetting

You should already be regularly backing up your MacBook using a Time Machine or one of the best cloud backup services available online.

Before resetting your Mac, make one last backup before proceeding. With the Time Machine, you can use these files to finish setting up your new Mac.

Sign Out Of iCloud

Select the Apple menu from the device’s top left corner. Select ‘System Preferences,’ then your ‘Apple ID.’ In the sidebar, select ‘Overview,’ then ‘Sign Out.’

You will be asked if you want to keep a backup of your iCloud data on this Mac. Because you’ll be erasing your Mac later in the reset process, you can select ‘Keep a Copy.’

Enter Recovery Mode

Apple’s Mac lineup is in flux as the company transitions away from Intel-based processors.

Entering recovery mode, someone handle differently an important step in resetting a Mac on Intel-based machines and those equipped with an Apple M1 coprocessor or later.

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1. To Enter Recovery Mode On Intel Machines

Select ‘Restart’ from the Apple menu at the top left of the device. Hold down the ‘Command’ + ‘R’ keys on your keyboard until the Apple logo appears when the computer screen goes black.

The computer will restart and enter recovery mode at this point.

2. In Macs With Apple Co-processors Including The MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

It is actually a little easier to put the machine into recovery mode. On these machines, turn off your computer. Next, press and hold the power button on your keyboard.

When the Apple logo appears, you’ll see a message letting you know that by continuing to hold the power button, you’ll access startup options.

After a few seconds, the text switches to ‘Loading startup options’. Click Options > Continue to enter the macOS recovery mode.

Erase The Machine

Whether you’re using an Intel-based or Apple silicone-based MacBook Air, it’s now time to complete the reset process with ‘Disk Utility.’ If prompted, log in with administrator privileges to the next screen.

Select ‘Disk Utility’ from the macOS recovery screen. On the left side of the screen, select ‘Macintosh HD.’ Click ‘Erase’. In the dialogue box, you need to rename the drive and format.

Keep the name ‘Macintosh HD’ and select ‘APFS’ or ‘Mac OS Extended (Journaled)’ as the format. Select ‘Erase Volume Group.’ If you don’t see this button, try ‘Erase.’ If applicable, enter your ‘Apple ID.’

More Information On Erasing The Machine

If you have any additional internal volumes in the sidebar, click the delete volume button with a ‘-‘. No volumes named ‘Macintosh HD’ or ‘Macintosh HD – Data’ should be deleted.

Skip the External and Disk Image sections of the sidebar as well. To return to the utility window, quit Disk Utility.

Reinstall MacOS

In MacOS Recovery, select ‘Reinstall MacOS’ from the utility window, then ‘Continue’, and follow the installer’s instructions.

If the installer asks if you want to install on ‘Macintosh HD’ or ‘Macintosh HD – Data,’ choose ‘Macintosh HD’. When the process is finished, they will prompt you to begin the Mac setup process.

To exit, press ‘Command’ + ‘Q’ if you’re selling or giving away your computer. Otherwise, continue configuring the computer.

Restoring a Time Machine Backup

After you’ve finished formatting your Mac, you’ll need to restore the files you saved to your external hard drive using a Time Machine backup.

Time Machine makes it simple to restore from any of your saved backups on your device, including freshly formatted computers. Here’s how to go about it.

Steps To Restoring a Time Machine Backup

Start by opening up Time Machine, either from your dock or, if you’ve removed the shortcut from your dock, by clicking the Apple icon in the menu bar on the top of your display, choose System Preferences, and selecting Time Machine.

With your external hard drive plugged into your MacBook Air, you can use the Time Machine to browse through your files to find what you want to restore.

The timeline on the right side of your MacBook’s display will show the date and time of each backup, allowing you to slide through the list and find the correct or most recent backup to restore from.

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Alternative Way To Restoring a Time Machine Backup

Simply hit restart on your device in the Apple logo, wait for your machine to power back on, and hold Command + R on your keyboard when the Apple icon appears on your display.

When you’re back in the macOS utility display, select Restore from Disk Utility, and follow the instructions on the screen to restore your backed-up apps and files to your computer.

Why You’d Want to Reset Your MacBook Air

There are several reasons why you might want or need to reset your MacBook Air, even if this isn’t something you’d normally do when your model is in good working order.

The most common reason for resetting a MacBook Air is to sell it. Here, resetting your MacBook is critical because you don’t want to give a stranger access to a repository of your personal data.

You must remove your personal information and settings from the computer before selling it to avoid jeopardizing your security and privacy.

Conclusion

But before you buy a new MacBook, you may be able to get some money by selling your old Mac to help defray the cost of a new one or before you decide to give it out, it is important you reset it.

Also, it is important that you backup your data so you can recover them later.

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How To Reset MacBook Air